Shifts
by SwordStitcher
Summary: 24 hours, rotating teams of heroes, one orbiting space station. A collection of one-shots about what one can do on Watchtower duty.
1. Prologue: Membership Exclusive

Prologue: Membership exclusive

Space, Hal Jordan didn't really _mind_ space. Though it wasn't his kind of thing. He preferred planets with gravity and air drag and resistance. All the things that made tricking it into letting him soar like a bird fun and exciting. You could tell he was a bit of a flyboy, Hal Jordan turned into a massive ten year old at the sight of anything with aerodynamic capabilities.

At the sight of a space station?

He felt apprehensive. Although he really shouldn't, he knew who he was on shift with.

There are some groups that just gel together. There's no need for bonding on the battlefield, no blood spilled in the name of friendship, no learning curve that comes with a stranger becoming another extension of yourself. Sometimes, it just happens. You make eye contact with someone and you just know that you'll work easily with them and probably have a hell of a time doing it too.

The three heroes had always gotten on like a house on fire, ever since their first rotation together back before the Mt Justice fiasco and they'd all sensed it. Barry _"The Flash"_ Allen, Hal _"Green Lantern"_ Jordan and Oliver _"Green Arrow"_ Queen. For the next year - barring emergencies - they would be working together on the newly built, not even broken in yet Watchtower.

They were all well known jokers and now they'd been given free reign of a state of the art _Batman-will-murder-me-if-I-break-it_ spacestation. What could possibly go wrong?

Truth be told, Hal wasn't nearly as concerned with destroying it as Barry or Oliver. He'd had experience with state of the art before, plenty of times. He was Ferris Air's ultimate test pilot when he wasn't being Green Lantern but heroics never paid the bills. 'So, why does Batman insist on having three heroes on the Watchtower at any given point?' Hal frowned once the bragging tour had been completed.

'Because he's paranoid?' Oliver snorted which caused Hal to throw him a look. 'Hey, I'm not saying it's not a good idea, but the CIA could take lessons from that guy,' Ollie shrugged.

'Yeah well, after Mount Justice, who can blame him?' Barry muttered and sank into one of the bucket seats that faced the bank of monitors and controls with a relaxed sigh. 'They really went all out on this place though.' He smirked. 'Even the seats. I call dibs on this one by the way.'

'You can have it,' Hal joked. 'I have a life.'

The two other heroes exchanged knowing grins. 'Hark who's suddenly confident, Ollie.' Barry quipped. 'I wonder why?'

'I have a date with Carol tonight,' Hal smirked. And this one would _not_ go pear shaped like the last six. Twice Sinestro had interrupted, three emergencies he'd had to intervene in and one Batman call. But this one - this one would go right. It had taken the limit of his persuasive skills to get Carol to even agree to one more date and Hal was determined it go wonderfully.

Oliver sank into a chair next to Barry. 'Batman didn't tell you I take it?' He chuckled as though delivering some particularly amusing bad news.

'Tell me what?' Hal demanded suspiciously.

'Batman introduced some new policies. Watchtower shifts are twenty-four hours long.'

'Sonova-!'

'Get comfy, we're going to be here a while,' Barry laughed and tipped the chair back with a flourish.

'Maybe the CIA _could_ take lessons from Batman,' Hal groaned. 'Twenty-four hours? It used to be twelve!'

'Yeah well, access up here's limited. The Zeta Tubes were upgraded to block unauthorized access and since there aren't that many of us with heavy experience...' Oliver trailed off.

'Great. Just great. Is that meant to be flattering? Cause it's not.' Hal groaned. Carol was going to flay him when he cancelled! No she would go Star Sapphire and destroy half of Coast City in a rage! Why him? Why did all his plans have to get ruined by Batman? 'Clark approved this?' He gaped. '_Diana_ approved this?!'

'Yeah.'

'How many people are authorized?' Hal demanded.

'Well, there's big blue, Sir Grim, Diana, Hawkgirl, me, you, Ollie, Oren, J'onn, Booster-' Barry ticked off fingers as he went.

'How the hell did Booster get on the list?' Hal demanded.

'I have no idea.' Oliver replied. 'But he is.'

Thankfully there were more people than he'd thought. Imagining a continuous shift with Batman almost made an extended mission in space seem attractive but he'd used up all his holidays and sick cover for the next ten years, as Carol just loved to point out. She practically owned his soul at this point.

Surreptitiously, he pulled out his phone and contemplated sending her a text but that was not how you broke off a last chance. Especially if you wanted another.

'I gotta go make a call.' He groaned and moved towards the brand new, state of the art kitchen as Barry and Oliver chortled in the background.

* * *

><p>AN: Hello! Welcome to Shifts. Basically my excuse to quietly giggle at the terrible trio - Barry, Hal, and Oliver - the Big Three - Clark, Bruce and Diana - and everything between. There'll be pranks and hilarity as well as serious moments. I won't even pretend to be up to date on the comics, at all. But I do quite heavy research. They will also be in no particular order or time-frame.

And the thought that if a team is entirely comprised of leaders, are they still a team?


	2. Whose the Queen?

**Chapter 1 - Whose the Queen?**

_Giggle._

'Nonono, put it at an angle-'

_Snort._

'How fast does this stuff work?'

'I dunno I got it from J'onn.'

_Laugh._

'He's going to kill us!'

'Shuddup it's funny,'

_Ow._

His hand shot up and grabbed for the strange touch before he'd even managed a coherent thought. If he managed to get a-hold of them long enough, they'd be dragged down to meet his other fist. It's a habit that had saved his life quite a number of times but when the culprit is a faster than light meta, his hand came up empty. Even he couldn't catch Barry Allen and Barry Allen loved to remind him because he was a goddamn show off. It didn't help they were neighbours. Starling City and Central city were only a five mile highway away, just his luck.

Could a man not sleep around here? Even with two of them it was a boring, thankless job of watching the scanners and drinking coffee which was the only reason he'd agreed to cover Booster Gold in the first place. Especially since before that, his night had consisted of getting several shades kicked out of him and terrible, _terrible_ Robin Hood jokes. They never really stopped with the Robin Hood jokes.

'What're you doing?' He mumbled thickly.

'Oh hey GA!' Barry tried to cover up the warble of humour in his voice and failed miserably.

'Swear to god Allen if you've done something to my hair-'

'Oh come on Ollie. Would we?' Hal asked.

_Abso-freaking-lutely._ Oliver sat up, more fool him for trying to catch forty winks around Hal and Barry and looked into their mirthful faces. It had been one hell of a night before Booster had begged him to cover and he had been kind of hoping to spend this shift recovering. 'What?' He demanded. 'What's so funny?' They said nothing but did chortle as he turned and felt something wobble on his head. The smell of solvents overrode even Barry's cloying aftershave. 'You two didn't...' He demanded and glanced at polished steel of a control panel. Was that a...Plastic crown? Glued to his hair?

'Your majesty!' Hal cackled and floated in the air just enough to bow but high enough to avoid having his teeth kicked in. Proof that Hal Jordan wasn't that much of a bone-head.

They were dead. So,_ so_ dead.

'Why?' He demanded and reached down for his bow.

'We were intending it for Booster, y'know because he's _that_ narcissistic, but when we found out you were swapping shifts with him -' Hal laughed.

'C'mon Oliver, it's hilarious.' But Barry's tone had swiftly changed as his hand found the upper limb of his beloved bow. Hal could stop every trick arrow in his quiver and knew it but Barry wasn't so invulnerable. A well placed explosive would knock him off his feet and that would be all the opportunity Ollie needed to nail him to the floor, he'd demonstrated before.

'I'd start running,' Oliver growled.

* * *

><p>AN: Hello again! I know I seem to be focusing on The Terrible Trio as I've called them, but the status will not always be quo. I do have other heroes and other shifts to work on too so you'll be seeing Batman, Superman, Orin, Wonder Woman and all your favourites. I may even do one or two shifts with the minor Leaguers. Anyway, enjoy!


	3. Sunny disposition

**Sunny disposition.**

Diana Princess of Themyscira was contemplating. Contemplating wasn't one of her normal habits but with little else to do, she was. Her object of utter devotion was the cowled, terrifying night terror that was Batman who was currently arguing with Superman about how to properly repair a solar shield array. They were so different and yet seemed to be more than amicable with each other. Perhaps even friendly and she didn't understand it.

No-one could ever claim to have seen Batman smile. Batman didn't smile. He'd smirked - when the occasion demanded it - and he'd laughed though those were far and few between - And Diana suspected they were grounded fully in sarcasm - but never smiled. Superman smiled all the time, the bright, hopeful smile of someone who wanted to make the world a better place. He laughed a lot, mostly self-deprecating with an open, friendly laugh.

Sometimes, she wondered how they could get on at all. It didn't seem possible but throughout all her observations, they did.

'Clark, I'm looking at the blueprints right now,' Batman growled.

'Bruce, are you sure they're not upside down?' Came the amused response.

'Of course!' Batman growled.

Although...Get on was a rather relative term.

'All I'm saying is, that it would take two minutes to check.' Superman replied evenly.

Batman switched off externals and leaned back to run his hands down his face. The shift was coming to an end and they were all tired, tempers were beginning to fray, though Batman would never admit to being human enough to need sleep. Diana watched him for a few seconds before she turned to look out into space. It was far more beautiful from up high.

'How are you two friends?' She smiled.

'Friends?' Batman returned. 'We're colleagues.' He turned away and began to bring up more plans, scanning each with an expert eye. She allowed him to spin out the silence until he turned back to her with a frown. 'Do we seem friends?'

'Yes.' She replied truthfully. She resisted the temptation to laugh. 'The best, Bruce.'

That was evidently not what he wanted to hear. 'I am not friends with Mr _Sunny Disposition_.' Batman growled.

'Really?' She wasn't falling for it.

'No. Clark,' Batman turned back to the speakers and re-engaged the conversation with the aforementioned "Mr Sunny Disposition" to avoid her. 'I think I know what the problem is.'

'Do you?' He sounded infinitely patient and chirpy. Using his _"Citizen"_ voice on him. The one he used in public. Judging by the set of Batman's jaw, he'd hoped that he would have dropped the act by now.

'You're what's upside down.'

There was a few moments of silence before Superman began chuckling. 'Whoops?'

Diana covered her own mouth to hide her smile and turned away.

They may not get on, but you can't tell her they aren't friends.

* * *

><p>AN: Lookit that. Something that isn't The Terrible Trio. Still cutesy but I can't (won't) write anything else at present. I'm having too much fun. Especially with goofy Superman. Cute and hilarious is my weak point. I'm sorry these seem mostly random at the minute, still settling into characters and random scenes make it easier for me to judge reactions. Plus you get little gems like this. Can you just see Batman facepalming? Cause I can.


	4. Idolized

Zeta tubes were all well and good but Hal Jordan did not like to use them very much. He'd seen that one episode of Star Trek where the transporters had malfunctioned and - well lets just say he isn't a fan. He will use them, when he needs to but he generally prefers making his own way to The Watchtower. Today, he was late because he'd been trying to wheedle another date out of Carol. This was pushing the boundaries now but he would not give up hope that they could have a decent, quiet meal without interruptions. It had to happen at some point...Right?

He made his way through the airlock, smelling of ozone and up through the levels that hummed to themselves until he reached control. Oliver and Barry were already there, Barry slumped over the impressive array of buttons with the top of his suit pulled down to show his face and Oliver with a hand placed reassuringly on his back.

'What's up with Barry?' Hal joked as eyes turned to the opening door but Oliver's swift head shake made it clear this was not a joking matter. 'Has something happened to Iris?' A note of alarm crept into his voice. Barry's wife was a lovely woman and as patient as a saint to put up with him and his meta-goofing. He would be immeasurably hurt if something had happened to the best thing his best-friend had in his life.

Barry turned to look at him with a glazed expression. 'No. No she's fine. It's Wallace.'

Relief. If Barry lost Iris there would be no consoling him. 'Your kid nephew? The one that idolizes you?' He thought aloud.

'That one.' Oliver agreed. 'You want to tell him or should I?' He asked gently. Barry flapped an arm in the universal sign of "Knock yourself out". Oliver sighed and turned to lean against the console that Barry was sprawled against. 'Wallace West was involved in a scene a few hours ago when they successfully repeated the incident that gave Barry his powers. It hit Wally.'

'Is the kid alright?'

'He's got the same powers as Flash.' Oliver shrugged. 'Define alright.'

The room filled with thoughtful silence as Hal picked over the new information and Barry wallowed in guilt. He felt bad for Barry, sure. He was always talking about how his kid nephew looked up to him and he didn't even know the full extent of his uncle's "Hobbies". It was bad enough for an adult in these situations but how can you look a kid in the eye and tell them they're different and they're going to be different for the rest of their lives? Hal Jordan sincerely hoped he was never forced to shatter someone's life like that, let alone a child's.

'I've screwed up his life.' Barry moaned from his seat.

'Now, I don't believe that.' Arrow replied sternly. 'That kid looked up to you.'

'How's his parents taking it?'

'How do you think they're taking it? They're blaming me!' Flash burst out and turned to look at Hal incredulously.

'Barry, calm down.' Oliver tried to intervene and cool his friend's temper but Barry was too far gone torturing himself.

'I have ruined that kid's life, you understand that? He'll never be normal. He'll be in danger constantly. That stupid incident is still screwing me over because now Wally's involved! His parents have every right to hate me, blame me! Hell, I blame myself!'

Hal stood there and let him rant because honestly, that was all he could do. He couldn't change Wallace West back to the normal, everyday kid he was before and he couldn't ease any of his uncles suffering for it, but he could stand there and listen and be there for him as a colleague. As a _friend_.

'Barry,' Oliver sighed. 'You've done more for that city than anyone else. Yes, Wally's not going to be normal anymore but that's far from your fault. It was a freak accident and you had no way of knowing that would happen. You need to stop blaming yourself and start managing it.'

Which did the trick as all signs of rage seeped away and left Barry Allen looking crushed and brittle. He crumpled back in his seat and sighed. 'What should I do? I can't leave him all alone to figure it out.'

'We all remember what you were like,' Oliver mocked good-naturedly. A queasy smile spread across Barry's face. It wasn't ok, but the ribbing and jibing at his ego made it almost seem that way.

'Yeah I guess.' He admitted and ran a hand through his hair.

'Why not make him your sidekick?' Hal suggested. 'Batman has Robin, Aquaman has Aqualad and Oliver has Roy.'

'I had no choice in that,' Oliver sniffed. 'But you have a point, Jordan.'

'You want me to put him in _more_ danger?' Barry demanded.

'You said yourself, Barry. The kid's going to be in danger no matter what. What better training is there?'

* * *

><p>AN:So Flash just premiered in the US. Those of us in the UK who aren't savvy enough to find a website hosting it have yet to see it _(So SHHHH!)_ and I feel this is about a good time to let this one out.

At this point I should probably express my utter adoration for The Flash. I'm serious, I'm a huge fangirl. There's something about the terrible puns, the inappropriately timed jokes and the mile-a-minute talking all hiding the insecure man beneath that greatly endears him to me. Come to think of it, that's almost word for word my reasons for loving Booster Gold. Go figure. I sincerely hope they bring all that to the new series.

I was intending this series to be completely silly antics but oh, look at that!_ Drama. _


	5. Of Shoes and Rings

It was one of those shifts. The ones where all you could bring yourself to do was stare out into space. Some might wonder the infinite possibilities of the universe beyond Earth, some might even consider the struggles and lives of the people below them - and then there were some whose thought processes you wouldn't be able to follow with a corkscrew.

'Hey GL,' Barry muttered from his station as he stared into the blackness of space.

'Wha'?' Hal grunted jerkily from his stupor. 'I wasn't asleep!'

'I was,' Oliver groaned and lifted himself from the counter to stretch.

'I was just wondering, are those Guardians you say you report to women?' Barry muttered, eyes never leaving the darkness.

Hal spent a few seconds walking up to understand the question and a few more turning it over and over. 'Explain,' he grunted. 'Why you would even_ think_ like that.'

'It's just...You've got a Green Lantern ring, yes? A magic, power ring.'

'Yes, what's your point?' He replied testily. It was too early for interrogations about what you could construct with it. Honestly, sometimes he worried for Barry.

'Hear me out big guy - and that changes your clothes whenever you think about it?'

'Barry, if you're just going to state the obvious-' Hal snapped. This was not the time for games, it was the time for coffee. Unfortunately he was too tired and cranky to get up and make one.

'How can the Guardians not be women?' Barry turned to look at their blank faces. 'Oh come on! Power in jewellery? The ability to change an outfit at a whim? the manipulation of emotion - might as well be weaponry in shoes!'

'Hey now - You don't get to say that unless a woman threatens you with a stiletto. Ever been threatened with a six inch heel?' Oliver chuckled from his reclined position.

'Who threatened you with a shoe?' Hal asked.

'My crazy stalker.' Oliver grumbled and scowled as Barry snorted.

'You've got a stalker Ollie?' Hal chuckled. 'Is it maid Marion?'

'Tell me more about how Hal's a girl, Barry.' Oliver returned and smirked in the face of his intense glare.

'I hate you, Queen.' He grumbled.

Oliver chuckled. 'Don't make fun of me then.'

Sometimes the shifts were exciting, sometimes the shifts were productive - sometimes they highlighted the oddities of your friends.

Come to think of it - why rings? Some species of Lantern he'd met didn't even have fingers and appendages varied dramatically depending on the star system so - Why rings?

Crap. Now he'd be asking that all day.


	6. All-Purpose

**All-Purpose**

_What does Batman keep in that mysterious utility belt?_

The watchtower was silent. The only sounds were the buzz of the systems as electricity coursed through them, or the low level hum of the news channel that took up one corner of the plasma glass.

Batman had been gone an awfully long time to check on a minor fluctuation in the coolant tanks. Superman had offered of course, but he seemed almost insulted and insisted he could check himself, which left Wonder Woman and Superman up in control to watch the various scanners and monitor world news. At the 16 hour mark, most of the world was sleeping or waking up and very little was happening that required the Justice League's intervention. They were idle.

'What does Batman keep in his utility belt?' Superman wondered after a few minutes.

'Don't you know?' Diana asked in surprise and turned to look at him.

The man of steel shook his head. 'It's lead lined.' A smirk twitched onto his lips and he sat back. Besides being weakened by Kryptonite, Superman had trouble clearly seeing things that were shielded by lead. One of his lesser known blind-spots. it was impressive that Batman would know of it - disquieting that he would take advantage of it.

'Why would he have it lead lined?' Diana asked.

'Who knows? It's Batman.' Superman chuckled. 'I know he keeps Kryptonite in a sealed pouch. Maybe it's so I don't know which one?'

'Impressive paranoia. One has to wonder what events would alter a man so much.'

'Your guess is as good as mine.' Superman shrugged. 'He's always been secretive. _Especially_ about the belt.'

'Is it because he has no advanced abilities?' Diana wondered. Batman didn't have superpowers and didn't trust an awful lot of people. He relied on what his belt divulged and his sharp mind to keep up with Diana and Clark.

'Maybe it's to do with the element of surprise?' Superman mused. They'd seen him pull out a range of toys for every occasion from those pouches. Batarangs, smoke, transmitters - there seemed to be a never ending supply. If Superman could see what he had stocked then presumably everyone with a similar ability could as well, good or bad.

'Or maybe,' A rough voice demanded from behind them, 'He likes his privacy?'

the two gossiping superheros jumped in alarm and turned to look at the frowning face of everyone's favourite Bat. If she looked closely, Diana could have sworn she saw the edge of his lip curling. Seemingly pleased that neither had noticed his presence, or perhaps he was merely amused he'd caught them talking about him like many of the other heroes were prone to doing.

'Coolant intake is fine, no blockages.' Batman reported as Diana and Clark hastily looked anywhere but at him. He sat down heavily at his station as though nothing had happened and brought up a few commands, checking valves and pressures before he allowed himself to be caught in a stare.

Superman smiled his lazy smirk. 'So what do you keep in that thing, Bats?'

'Everything I need to, Superman.' He grunted and stood to inspect something else on the other side of the room.

Superman leaned closer to Diana and whispered 'I swear he does this on purpose to look mysterious,'

'It isn't hard with you two,' Batman answered from the other end of the room. Clark stalled, shocked that Batman was able to hear him and Diana laughed.

They would never understand how he managed half the things he did with just a belt and his brain - they were just glad he was on their side.

* * *

><p>AN: Oh Superman. Everyone since the inception of Batman has asked that question. Bats does not like to be the subject of gossip and likes sneaking up on people, but is that really a surprise? The man was trained by Ra's Al Ghul after all. Gotta have some perks to being a ninja of the night.

Anyway I hope you all had a good holiday season!


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